Silkwood free essay sample

Silkwood took a big risk when she decided to blow the whistle on Kerr-McGee in 1946 for health and safety violations. Silkwood was concerned about her and her coworkers’ health and safety as she witnessed various health and safety violation acts that management ignored. Whistle blowing can be very dangerous for the one that is blowing the whistle as witnessed by the mysterious death of Karen Silkwood on the night of November 13th. Up until her job with Kerr – McGee, Silkwood lived a normal life and didn’t do anything in her life to make her stand out. It wasn’t until her investigation began, that Silkwood was starting to become more noticeable. According to friends that were close to her, Silkwood became more and more involved in the investigation and wouldn’t let the investigation go until all evidence and facts had been reported. However, Silkwood’s evidence and findings never did make it to the appropriate people due to the mysterious car crash that led to her death. We will write a custom essay sample on Silkwood or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Officers and scene investigators never did find the manila envelope containing the evidence, but Silkwood’s death brought to light the seriousness of the investigation and eventually, the closing of the Kerr-McGee Cimarron plant where Silkwood was last employed. While there are many rewards to whistle blowing, there are also many risks to whistle blowing as well. One of the rewards of whistle blowing is that the laws or acts being violated will be corrected by the correct regulation agencies. Whistleblowers are even able to submit a confidential report online through National Whistleblowers Center website where attorneys review the information and give advice on the best ways to proceed with the investigation. There are also information and additional resources available for those who are thinking about blowing the whistle on their company. A risk of whistleblowing on the company can lead to alienation between the whistleblower and their employer, boss, and co-workers. Some may fear retaliation if seen helping those gain evidence against the company or organization practicing unethical practices. They may also lose their job by blowing the whistle and family and friends may also be affected by the act as well because of their relationship to the whistleblower. As employees, it is our responsibility to protect the company or organization values while at the same time, also following our own moral values as well. Every company and organization has their own morals and values that they established, but if an employee witnesses or comes across evidence that does not uphold those values, than the employee has a responsibility to report those unethical practices. Employees also have their own person moral values that they usually use as standards when finding a company or organization to work for. When dealing with unethical practices, an employee bases their decision to report the company against their own personal moral values. It is than the employee’s responsibility to make that tough decision on reporting their company’s unethical practices and risking everything or leaving it up to someone else to make that decision. References Karen Silkwood. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 05:47, Apr 28, 2013, from http://www. biography. com/people/karen-silkwood-9542402.

11 Fun Toddler Learning Games for Your Preschooler

Fun Toddler Learning Games for Your Preschooler SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Looking for games that your toddler will both enjoy and gain important skills from? We’ve got you covered! In this guide, we go over of the best toddler learning games. These educational games for toddlers can be played with few materials, one or more children, and toddlers of varying age ranges. For each game, we explain what skills it will teach toddlers and give instructions on how to set up and play the game. How Can Learning Games Benefit Toddlers? Toddlers’ minds and bodies are undergoing huge changes during this time of their lives, as they learn to communicate, think, and move in completely new ways as they move out of babyhood. Games are one of the best ways for toddlers to develop these new skills because they’re easy and fun to participate in. Some of the skills toddler learning games can teach include: Gross and fine motor skills Language development Creativity/imagination Critical thinking and analysis Counting Social skills Learning games can help toddlers be prepared for when they start school by giving them a leg up on topics such as numbers, colors, and letters. The social skills they learn from these games, such as sharing and listening to instructions, will also make school, daycare, or even play dates more enjoyable because your toddler will have more experience interacting with other children and being a fair playmate. Examples of Toddler Learning Games Below are examples of educational games for toddlers that can teach everything from counting to motor skills to following directions. For each of these toddler learning games, we give a brief description, an overview of the materials needed, and directions on how to play the game. #1: Car Parking Numbers This counting game takes only a few minutes to set up, but once it’s ready your toddler can play with it over and over again to practice their counting skills. This game also helps toddlers practice fine motor skills when steering the cars into the correct parking spot. Materials: Shallow cardboard box with lid removed Matchbox cars (plastic horses are also a good substitute) Permanent marker Small pieces of paper Tape Directions: Tape a number to the top of each car, then draw the same number of â€Å"parking spaces† in the cardboard box. Label each of the spaces with a number so that each numbered car has a parking spot with a corresponding number. Your toddler can then â€Å"drive† each car into the matching parking spot while you discuss numbers and counting with them. As your toddler’s counting skills grow, add more parking spots and numbered cars to keep them learning. #2: Simon Says A great game for teaching toddlers how to follow instructions, Simon Says can be played with any number of children. You can also tailor it to different areas of learning, such as a Simon Says game that focuses on moving different body parts, identifying different shapes, etc. In fact, studies have shown that young children who play Simon Says go on to have improved math and literacy skills, so this game truly has a whole host of benefits! Materials: None required Directions: To play Simon Says, choose one person to be Simon (it’s best to start off with you or an older child being Simon until younger kids get the hang of the game). â€Å"Simon† then calls out commands such as â€Å"jump up and down† or â€Å"touch your toes.† The key is the other players must listen for the phrase â€Å"Simon says† before each command before they follow it. If they follow a command you didn’t preface with â€Å"Simon says† then they are out. The last person remaining in the game is the winner. #3: Foam Writing Many toddlers still struggle to correctly hold a pencil at this age, but you can help them practice their writing and drawing skills with foam writing. They’ll love playing with foam, and at the same time they can learn how to form different letters and shapes. Materials: Shaving cream Large, flat surface that can be covered with shaving cream Directions: Spread the shaving cream in a thick, even layer across the surface. For younger toddlers you can start with just having them draw any patterns they like in the foam to improve motor skills. For older toddlers, write a number, letter, shape, etc. in the foam and have your toddler copy you. As they get more advanced, you can also have them write out letters or numbers on their own without you writing them first. After you’ve played for a while, the foam can be smoothed over with your hands to create a blank surface again. #4: Sorting Most toddlers love sorting things, from their toys to the food on their plate, and you can use this activity to help them learn. It’s also very easy to customize this game to focus on whatever you want your toddler to learn: colors, shapes, sizes, etc. This game will help your toddler recognize similarities and differences between items and learn the basics of categorization. Materials: Items that have multiple types of whatever characteristic you want your toddler to identify. (ex. If you want your toddler to learn about colors, gather items of several different colors) Directions: For the sorting game, you can either ask your toddler to sort the items based on a specific characteristic (â€Å"show me all your red toys† or â€Å"can you group your toys together by color?†) or you can ask them to sort the items on their own, then ask them to explain how they sorted them. This is a great game for facilitating discussions with your toddler as you talk about the different objects and how they are similar to and different from each other. #5: Board and Card Games Board and card games can be a great way to teach toddlers how to follow rules, wait for their turn, and learn whatever skills the games are promoting. There are board games for toddlers that focus on the alphabet, other focus on counting, colors, etc. Materials: An age-appropriate board game for toddlers. Some of our favorites are: Go Fish Candy Land The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game Chutes and Ladders Directions: Read the directions for the game, and start playing! If you’re looking for other board and card games, search for those meant for ages 2-4, as these will have rules and playing times specifically designed to help toddlers learn the game and have fun. Don’t be surprised if you don’t make it through the entire game, as toddlers have short attention spans and, even if they enjoy the game, they’ll likely want to move onto another activity fairly quickly. You can continue the benefits of the game by bringing it up a short time later. For example, at lunch you can say, â€Å"Remember the board game we played earlier where we counted how many fish you caught? Let’s count how many pieces of fruit are on your plate.† #6: Story Time Toddlers love listening to stories, and you can get them to practice their creativity skills by encouraging them to participate in the story you’re telling, as well as incorporate important lessons you’d like them to know. By age three, many children know roughly 400 words, and they love hearing words they understand, especially when words/phrases are repeated throughout the story so that they’re easier to remember. Materials: Children’s book (or you can make up your own story) Some recommendations: Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb. By: Al Perkins Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. By: Bill Martin Jr. One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish. By: Dr. Seuss Dear Zoo. By: Rod Campbell Directions: Read/tell the story, stopping every now and then to ask your toddler questions like, â€Å"What do you think will happen next?† or â€Å"Do you think [character] treated her friend nicely?† then listen to your toddler’s responses and either continue the conversation, continue the story, or alternate between the two. #7: What’s Missing? This memory game can be played in nearly any room of the house, and it helps toddlers work on naming and describing objects as well as improving their memory. Materials: 4-5 objects of any kind A tray to place the objects on Towel to cover the objects Directions: Place the objects (toys, household items, foods, etc.) on the tray and look at them with your toddler. Name each item to help them remember it. Then, cover the items with the towel and ask your toddler to cover their eyes/turn around. Remove one of the items and set it aside in a place the toddler can’t see. Next, remove the towel and have your toddler tell you which item was removed. You can give them hints to help if they’re struggling to remember such as, â€Å"It’s a yellow fruit that’s sour.† To make the game more challenging, add more items to the tray and/or remove more than one item at a time. #8: Hokey-Pokey This classic game is a great way to get toddlers moving, as well as teach them about listening to directions and learning the names of different body parts. Many older kids love the song as well, so it can be used to occupy children of a variety of ages. Materials: None required Directions: Have the children stand in a line or a circle, and start singing! Lyrics are here, but feel free to substitute different body parts for different verses if you desire. Even if kids don’t know the song, they’ll pick it up after a few minutes and join you in the singing. #9: Memory Game Toddler’s memories are beginning to develop at a very rapid rate, and this is a great way to test their growing skills. Any version of the game will help toddlers hone their memory skills, and you can also make your own cards to focus on whatever you want your toddler to learn, whether that’s shapes, colors, animals, etc. Materials: About eight or ten cards with matching pairs. There are memory card sets available to buy, or you can also make your own with images, letters, numbers, colors, etc. you want your toddler to learn. Just make sure you make two of each image/figure. This game can also be played with several two-piece puzzles that children can match together. For an outdoor version, you can make oversized cards out of posterboard and spread them across the lawn, then follow the rest of the directions below. Directions Lay out the cards, face down, in a grid pattern on a flat surface. Each player takes a turn flipping over any two cards they choose. If the cards are a match, they get to remove them from the game. If they aren’t a match, the cards get flipped back over. The trick is to remember where they’ve seen cards from previous turns so they can eventually find all the matching pairs. The person with the most matched pairs wins. Younger toddlers may need some hints to play the game when they first start, and talking about the cards as they’re flipped over can also help children remember them more easily. #10: Indoor Bowling While most toddlers are too young for actual bowling alleys (it can be difficult for them to roll the ball with enough force it needs to make it to the end of the lane), you can set up your own bowling alley in just a few minutes at home. In addition to motor skills, this game can be used to teach toddlers the basics of counting, and even addition and subtraction (ex. If there are ten pins and you knocked four down, how many are left?). Materials: 6 or 10 empty containers of similar size/shape (soda cans work well for this) Tennis ball or small plastic ball Masking tape Directions: Use the masking tape to mark out the bowling lane (a few meters should be long enough). Arrange the containers in a pyramid at the end of the lane, either (if using ten containers) four on the top, then three on the second level, two, then one, or (if using six) three, then two, then one. Your toddler can then roll the ball along the â€Å"lane† and see how many containers they can knock over. #: Count the Flowers A fun springtime activity, Count the Flowers combines some arts and crafts with a counting game that will help toddlers learn their numbers. Materials: Fake flower pieces (about 10-20) Popsicle sticks Hot glue gun Several plastic containers that you can write or stick numbers to Directions: Glue a flower to the top of each popsicle stick, then clearly label each container with a number, going up as high as you’d like to. When you’re ready to play the game, display the containers in a row, with their numbers visible. They can be in numerical or random order, depending on how difficult you’d like the game to be. Have each toddler choose a container, then ask them to put the proper number of â€Å"flowers† in it. So, if they chose the container with a â€Å"3† on it, they’d need to put three flowers inside it. Correct them if they make a mistake and use it as an opportunity to count together with them. Tips for Teaching Toddlers Toddlers aren’t always known for being the easiest people to keep occupied, but these three tips can help playtime remain fun and educational for everyone involved. Keep Games Short Toddlers have notoriously short attention spans, and trying to get them to play a long and involved game is a recipe for disaster. All of the games we discussed in this article can be completed in just a few minutes, which may be all the time your toddler is willing to spend on an activity some days. They can also each be extended if your toddler gets really into the game and is able to focus on it for a longer period of time. When doing these or any other preschool learning games, let your toddler dictate how long (s)he wants to play, and don’t give up on a game if they aren’t that interested in it the first time they play it. Use Repetition Toddlers love repetition, whether it’s a song with a repeating chorus or a game that requires repeated actions to play it. Toddlers experience so many new things each day that they love repetition, both because it gives them a sense of order and because it helps them improve their memory. There aren’t many instances when a toddler can predict what will happen next, so they love when it happens in their games. Ask Them Questions When you’re tired of reading the same book or playing the same game every day for a month, you can change things up by asking questions about the game they’re playing and why they make certain choices. For example, if your toddler is playing with cars, you can ask her which car is her favorite, why she likes that one the best, how it reminds her of the car she rides in, etc. Any question that gets your toddler thinking critically and engaged in conversation will help them develop key skills they’ll use throughout life. Summary: Educational Games for Toddlers Toddler learning games are a great way for young children to learn numerous skills, as well as engage in fun playtime. Each of the activities listed in this article can be modified to suit different ages, group sizes, and time requirements. When playing educational games for toddlers, it’s important to keep the pre k learning games short, use repetition, and ask them questions while they play to ensure they get the most out of these games. What's Next? If you enjoy working with toddlers, then perhaps an early childhood education degree is right for you.Our guide goes over what this degree entails in terms of coursework, and gives you a helpful list of the best online BA in Early Childhood Education degree programs. Pipe cleaner crafts can be a great activity for toddlers.Read our guide for simple instructions for 31 fun pipe cleaner crafts for kids. Looking for games for other age groups?Check out our guides on general learning games, spelling games, and alphabet games. (coming soon) Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Christine Sarikas About the Author Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Get FREE EXCLUSIVE insider tips on how to ACE THE SAT/ACT. 100% Privacy. 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Marketing planning of Roddick Foundation Assignment

Marketing planning of Roddick Foundation - Assignment Example According to the research findings a charity, in the UK, is a body established under the law of England and Wales for exclusively charitable purposes. The UK laws specify some of the purposes that are capable of being charitable by the Commission of Charity. Some of the purposes include poverty prevention or relief, promotion of education, improving health or saving lives, promoting community development, preservation of culture of some people, environmental protection, protection of human rights or conflict resolutions among many others. The firm that is analyzed in the paper is the Roddick Foundation is one of the recognized charities in the UK. The foundation was registered by the commission on March 18, 1997 with registration number 1061372 and company number 3304866. The foundation is mainly concerned with provision of support to the hardworking individuals of the society who would want to transform the world. Different macro-environmental factors will affect the operation and s uccess of a charity. The legal provisions, economic, social, environmental, and political factors affect the success of the organizations. England is a developed economy and a charity is able to attract donors and volunteers who are willing to change lives of others. The state has had political stability in the past that can promote philanthropic activities. Factors that are of particular significance here are the legal provisions on charity. The Charity Commission is a legal body that is mandated to examine the aims of a charity before registering it. The commission provides a definition for the appropriate and acceptable purpose of a charity (Balabanis et al, 1997). Before some charity is registered and recognized as a charity in England and Wales, the legal requirements provide that the organization must able to prove that its aims are meant to benefit the public (Charity Commission, 2011). The organization has to show that it is being established for charitable aims and the aims are geared towards the benefits of the public. It has to be stressed that all, and not some, of the aims should benefit the public. To prove this, the organization has to state clearly the benefits of the initiative, their relations to the aim, and a balance between the benefits and potential harms that may result from the program (Charity Commission, 2011). Besides, the legislation also requires that charity organizations should not develop political purpose or affiliate to some political organization (Charity Commission, 2008). However, since they often advocate for the right of the people, the charities can involve in political activities to achieve their purposes. The Roddick Foundation has developed purposes in line with the above provisions. One of the purposes is poverty eradication (Open Charities, 2012). The foundation funds development initiatives that are aimed at eradicating poverty in the region. The other purpose is promotion, improvement, and advancement of education to the members of the public (Open Charities, 2012). It also promotes culture and social welfare through provision of recreational facilities. As a charity, key stakeholders to the organization are the donors and volunteers. Several charities have been registered in England and the whole of UK and all the charities compete for these donor funds. This is analogous to competition for customers among profit organizations. Profitability is one of the elements of marketing concept. However, the charity organizations would not want to make profit- their analogy for profitability is survival (Balabanis et al, 1997, p.585). Thus, they also need to apply similar marketing concept

Bloodstain Pattern Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Bloodstain Pattern Analysis - Essay Example Later a book was written and compiled by Dr. Sheppard and Cynthia Cooper in which they wrote about evidence of spotty DNA and in their book, they revealed that the analysis of Dr. Kirk was completely correct (Chermak, 2007, p.226). This incident became an example for crime scene investigation but this kind of work was not welcomed by investors who did not have sound knowledge of scientific reasoning. After the work of Dr. Kirk, the second most important work done in the field of BPA was by Herbert MacDonell who published a book in which he conducted experiments in laboratories and worked on researches conducted on the same issue by researchers throughout the world (Becker, 2013, p.104). Soon the law enforcement sector became interested in BPA and MacDonell started offering training to officers of the agency of law enforcement regarding the analysis and interpretation of BPA. The training programs conducted by MacDonell were very simple, entertaining and quite different from other pie ces of training provided for crime scene investigation purposes. These training sessions were not backed by assessment and testing, thus those who participated were not concerned about failing the tests that were taken after the completion of training sessions. Due to increased importance of this technique of crime-scene investigation, MacDonell realized the importance of an establishment through which people interested and practicing in this field could easily communicate their idea. This led to the creation of IABPA.

Human rights constitutions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Human rights constitutions - Essay Example The intention of this study is government of a Republic of China that is not only reliable to have duties and powers but also imposes national constitutions containing various provisions which guarantee fundamental human rights of citizens and helps in strengthening relationships between state and individual. One of the main constitutions enforced in China instituting human rights is the People Republic of China. It is commonly known as People Republic of China Constitution, with no exemptions. However, some legitimate rights in China do not provide any guarantee which is worthless. Though presently it is enforced, in spite of fact either someone will be able to take judicial remedies, regardless of identifying by whom or how it will be committed, this is entirely a different issue. It is imperative to identify that either there should be a mechanism in China to enhance the effective enforcement of rights protected by constitution. Unless and until this is enforced, constitution will not result in a working or living element of social reality. Therefore in order to study the importance of these things in China it is imperative to identify effectual mechanism of constitutional enforcement, studying the relationship of politics and law which influences the progress of constitutional development tin China. China requires redesigning its constitutional reforms and should give more importance to the regime. (Abbott K W, 2000). 1.2 Human rights Human rights policy in China is based on two pillars. First is the system where member of states negotiate with the commissioner on human rights which was established in 1946 by social and economic council. Second is human rights treaty body and conventions which states commits through legal rectification and actions. This human rights policy has supported the state in protecting and promotion of citizens. Value oriented human rights practiced by China have laid the principles of statehood such as ethnicity, nation, culture, i deology and religion. It serves as a constrain between arbitrary and state hegemony, by protecting individuals rights and provides the foundation of building a relationship among citizens and states. It is the cornerstone for establishing constitutions in relation to human rights which are determined by international law and in public. It includes both WTO rules and ILO standards. Thus, human rights are highly controversial and political. All states are requires to protect and respect human rights and should do everything to fulfill their desires. In recent general assembly in China, stressed on the fact that these rights are indivisible, universal, interdependent, interconnected and mutually reinforcing. All states irrespective of differences in cultural, political and economic perspectives should protect and promote human rights. The human rights treaty body imposes China legal system to comply with the monitoring committees in order to ensure effectiveness in the system. State is obliged to submit a periodic report on treaty bodies, in order to review their objectives, present situation and supply assistance at national level. This will help to monitor the entire system effectively and to propose relevant changes in it (Dong Zhenang, 2000). 1.3 The importance of constitutionalizing human rights Importance of constitutionalizing human rights has increased in almost all the countries. Almost all the countries in the world have their own national constitutions. They not only emphasize on the rules and regulations led by the government but also emphasizes on legitimate obligations and rights of citizens. In relation to Chinese constitutional law all parties such as enterprises, state organs, individuals and political

Changes to the National Curriculum

Changes to the National Curriculum Since the introduction of the National Curriculum in 1992, a number of changes have been made to its structure and implementation. Identify and explain these changes and assess the contribution of the National Curriculum in the effort to raise standards in Education. This essay will describe, identify and explain the changes that have occurred to the National Curriculum (NC) since its conception in 1992. It will also assess these changes and evaluate the benefits and difficulties that it has experienced since 1992. The Education Reform Act (ERA) came into effect in 1988, this enabled Kenneth Baker the Conservative Minister of Education to implement the roll-out of the National Curriculum in 1992 within primary / secondary education. However, prior to 1992 there had been no National Curriculum and previously teachers had worked out their own schemes of work that they deemed appropriate for their pupils. As a result of this the standard of education across the country varied considerably and the methods employed to teach were wide-ranging. With the implementation of the National Curriculum in 1992, responsibility was shifted away from teachers to centralised government over what was to be taught. The National Curriculum established a set-framework of learning to enable children to move freely between schools as they would be learning from the same framework. The National Curriculum ensured that schools taught a certain range of subjects, this consisted of ten subjects. The subjects were divided into two sub-categories (core and foundation). The three main core subjects were English, Maths and Science, and together with seven other foundation subjects (Art, Home Economics. Music, History, a Modern Foreign Language (only compulsory in secondary schools), Geography and Physical Education created the foundation of the National Curriculum. Compulsory National tests (SATS) were introduced at 7, 11 and 14 on core subjects. The results are published annually in league tables (along with GCSE/A levels and truancy statistics). Changes occurred to the National Curriculum from its inception. Rather than being embraced the National Curriculum was met with hostility from some teachers and most of the larger teachers unions. One of the main criticisms of the National Curriculum by teachers and teaching unions was that at first glance that it contained far too many subjects and was considered to be too rigid, compared to what was previously taught. This meant that it was difficult to teach the subject well as the students had to learn so many subjects, and they presumed that it would be very difficult for students. The National Curriculum was also criticized for being extremely Eurocentric, as it was primarily focused around European culture, giving those from ethnic backgrounds very little opportunity to learn about their roots. Certain sections of the public also argued that the government intentionally fashioned the National Curriculum to remove subjects which they as a political party are against for political reasons, such as sociology, politics, and environmental sciences (they were never contained in the National Curriculum). However, a benefit to the National Curriculum was that teachers now had to educate students in a range of subjects. This gave children / students a better start for the skills they would need for later in life. It was also disputed that the national Curriculum helped to reduce the division of girls and boys subjects, as both sexes were taught the same subjects. This helped to reduce the stereotyping of gender. In 1993, teachers decided to boycott the national curriculum testing arrangements (SATS) after complaining about the workload. The Secretary of State for Education, in a move in the right direction asked Sir Ron Dearing, who was the current Chairman of the School Curriculum and Assessment AuthorityHYPERLINK http://www.bookrags.com/tandf/school-curriculum-and-assessment-tf#p2000a9f68830215001 (SCAA), to review the national curriculum. Dearing made an Interim Report in 1993 and a Final Report in 1994 (The Dearing Report) after a period of consultation with teachers and the teachers unions. In his report his recommended on slimming down the curriculum, and improving its administration. He also recommended that the slimmed down national curriculum should not be altered for five years and that national tests should be simplified without sacrificing validity or reliability. The revised curriculum was implemented from August 1995. The 1992, Ofsted (The Office for Standards in Education) formed as part of the major overhaul and centralisation of the school system begun by the Education Reform Act 1988, which introduced the National Curriculum, extensive testing in schools and the publication of league tables. Ofsted inspections were carried out on school every 6 years. This change was introduced as it was believed standards needed to be raised in schools. Many people thought Ofsted inspections were a good idea, if schools were failing, it was noticed and measures were put in place in order to improve these schools. However, Ofsted were also often seen to be too strict on schools, making it difficult for schools to pass inspection highly. Also, it was felt that many teachers and schools would improve their teaching standards while they were being inspected. Some schools would also send some of their worst behaved students on school trips for the inspections. This defeated the object of Ofsted inspections as it wasnt the normal teaching standards that were being tested. Recent inspections by Ofsted have revealed that although a good proportion of schools had improved since they were last checked many were stilling failing. Figures released by Ofsted in 2009 show that 11% of schools checked since last September were rated outstanding, while 9% were not up to scratch. [Angela Harrison, BBC] In the year 2006-07, 14% of those checked were outstanding and 6% were inadequate. [Angela Harrison, BBC] In 1997, the incoming The New Labour Government came into power in the UK. They Introduced the National Literacy Strategy to all Primary Schools in England from September 1998 after setting targets for pupils at Key Stage 2 in English (80%), Mathematics (75), but not in Science. Previously a pilot project had been tested during 1996, which involved schools in 14 Local Education Authorities. The strategy was planned for teachers to teach a daily Literacy Hour, which followed a pattern of 30 minutes whole class teaching, then group work and concluding with a plenary session. A number of documents have been published by the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) to help teachers raise standards in literacy at the time. The National Literacy Strategy framework endeavoured to improve standards for all primary aged pupils. The strategys purpose was to make sure that all pupils were receiving on a daily basis dedicated one hour of literacy. The end result would give pupils the opportunity to develop skills in reading, grammar, spelling, and oral work and help raise standards in teaching and learning. In the following year of September 1999 The National Numeracy Strategy framework was introduced and like the literacy strategy, aimed at raising standards for all primary pupils. Similar to the National Literacy Strategy it prescribed a one hour daily mathematics lesson for all pupils. The Five Year Review in 2000 set out the main aims and purposes of the National Curriculum for the first time. The four main purposes of the National Curriculum are: To establish an entitlement. To establish standards. To promote continuity and coherence. To promote public understanding. The National Curriculum has been put into place in the hope that children will achieve and will have an entitlement to learning irrespective of their background, be it race, gender, cultural or otherwise. It also makes expectations for childrens attainment explicit for all concerned and sets out national standards for performance. These standards can then be used for target setting, measuring progress and monitoring progression. The Foundation Stage was introduced by the Labour government in 2000, to provide guidance for settings which provide care and education to pre-school children (aged 3 to 5). It was named the Foundation Stage because it lays the foundations for childrens later learning. [Neaum and Tallack, 2002]. It evolved from the Rumbold Report of 1990, which investigated the educational provision for the under 5s, and found that there was a patchy, unplanned curriculum which was unsatisfactory. In 2004 a review was carried out of Key Stage 4, from this review the introduction of Entitlement subjects. The Curriculum Entitlement Framework provides pupils with access to a wider range of learning opportunities suited to their needs, aptitudes and interests, irrespective of where they live or the school they attend. In 2007 the government abolished formal written Key Stage 1 SATS and replaced them with teacher recorded assessments. The Key Stage 1 assessments are very low key and completed by the pupils teacher over a period of a few weeks so they will be hardly aware that an assessment is taking place. In 2008 a review of Secondary National Curriculum resulted in new Key Stage 3 and 4 Curriculum which was introduced in 2009. This updated part of the curriculum now offers Diplomas and other alternatives to current GCSE and A-level examinations. In 2009 the then current Labour government announces that Key Stage 3 Sats examinations are to be abolished and that Sir Jim Rose will be conducting a full review of the Primary National Curriculum. The findings of the report will be implemented from September 2011. In May 2010 a general election was held and New Conservative / Liberal Democrat government came to power under David Cameron and Nick Clegg. The future changes to the new primary national curriculum which were put forward by Sir Jim Rose to be implemented from September 2011 have been shelved, the government stating that it does not intend to proceed with the new primary curriculum. Instead they are committed to giving schools more freedom from unnecessary prescription and bureaucracy. They have always made clear their intention to make changes to the National Curriculum that will ensure a relentless focus on the basics and give teachers more flexibility than the proposed new primary curriculum offered. The National Curriculum has undergone considerable change and development over the past twenty years and is still being altered and adjusted at the present day. Controversy still exists as to the approach education should adopt for those over the age of 14 testing is thought to be heavily based on recall of knowledge encouraging a lack of skill development activities. Many of the original subjects that were mandatory no longer are, as it was felt the curriculum was too full. In my opinion, since the introduction of the National Curriculum, I believe that it was the keystone to greatly improving the standards of education that children receive in todays society. This is because before the standard of education students received was highly based on class status and was typically biased towards the middle / upper class families, another factor was your locality in the country. Teachers also taught a range of subjects that they wished to teach as there were no set subjects so what you could be taught varied across the country. This led to many students leaving school with limited knowledge. With the introduction of the Literacy and Numeracy hours Sats results have increased again of the subsequent years but again now have slowed to a halt. As seen in the table below. But on the flip side having felt that on the whole the National Curriculum is effective it is also somewhat flawed. Children are taught to the test at a detriment to other subjects, and so they are missing out on a broad and balanced curriculum. Schools and teaching staff will also admit that they are being forced to teach to the test; cutting out subjects such as history, geography and art to inflate their position on national league tables or else look as if they are failing. The national tests also distort childrens education as they are being offered a restricted timetable as teachers are forced to focus on the core subjects. In a number of schools an emphasis on tests in English, Mathematics and Science limits the range of work in these subjects in particular year groups, as well as more broadly across the curriculum in some primary schools. Having said this, the positive points outweighed the negative greatly as it was the start towards the National Curriculum that we currently have today.

Computer and I :: Personal Narrative Writing

Computer and I Well, what can I say about the long history that computers and I have had. I can hardly remember a time when a computer was not part of my life. Ever since I was in elementary school I can remember going to the computer labs to learn all about computers. Back in the day though; this was fun stuff, all you did was go to the labs for a couple of hours and play computer games. I remember playing countless hours of Oregon Trail, but that also has to do with the fact that to play one games takes the longest time. The next step in my history with computers was the word processor. This was something my sister asked for on her birthday. The word processor days were not that bad. It was just like using a typewriter but being able to erase your mistakes. It was also interesting because if you wanted to you could switch it to typewriter mode and it would type without using the computer screen and so it was just like using an old typewriter. Some people might think that a word processor might be a little primitive but it is not. You could do many things with it, why everything the word processor programs have on your computer it used to have. You could do spreadsheet and most of the things that Microsoft programs can do now. Later on; my family purchased a computer, here is where things got kind of hard but better at the same time. Since I was young when we got it there was no need for me to be messing with the complicated things. All I ever did on it was use it for pure entertainment. Computers were fun then; but only when you where playing games. Soon came the years when I actually had to sit down and write a paper for class.